Courage as a design principle - An interview with Annette Jacobs
Why did you decide to incorporate the theme of courage into your design?
As an artist, it takes a great deal of courage to put your work out into the world. That moment when you say: ‘Here it is - my work, my expression, my lifeblood’ is exciting. It's a long road to get there. It means years of searching and trial and error. It means developing your own style that feels real. Putting ideas down on paper, discarding them again, starting afresh, biting through. Coordinating colours and shapes again and again until everything harmonises - or deliberately breaks. And then that decisive moment: does it work? Does what I want to say really come across? And this is exactly where courage is needed. Courage to show yourself, with all your thoughts, your handwriting, your view of the world. Because every work of art is a piece of yourself - and bringing it into the public eye also means making yourself vulnerable. But it also means creating something that touches, inspires and perhaps even changes the world a little bit.
What does courageous design mean to you?
For me, courageous design is design that stands out, that is loud, unexpected and colourful. At the beginning of my career, I had doubts - is a playful and emotional design serious enough for customers? But these are precisely the qualities that are becoming increasingly important: emotionality and authenticity. Brands and companies need it and people love it. Emotional and human-centred design creates closeness and trust, it tells stories and creates real connections.
Why did you choose stickers as the medium for this message?
Stickers are small, charming ambassadors of everyday life - on lampposts, laptops, mobile phone cases or on social media and in chats. Sometimes they are loving reminders with positive affirmations, sometimes political statements or humorous memes. I love communicating in the digital world with stickers and emojis. They give texts an additional layer of meaning, intensify emotions and make messages more lively. This inspired me to create my own animated sticker set.
How does the digital application of the stickers on Instagram or WhatsApp work?
It's very simple! Click on the sticker icon in the stories or in the chat, enter ‘Annette Jacobs’ or a suitable keyword such as ‘Human Intelligence’ or ‘Soul-Made’ and my animated stickers will appear. Simply select a sticker and add it to your own story or send it as a message.
Courageous projects
Which of your previous projects would you describe as particularly courageous?
In the summer of 2022, I created an exhibition for contemporary illustration - curating, designing, organising and creating the communication media for it. It was exciting as I was new to the role of curator and exhibition organiser. With the exhibition, I wanted to show how diverse and potent contemporary illustration is and bring this art form into the museum in its own exhibition.
Together with an exhibition designer and the team from the NRW Forum Düsseldorf, we brought my exhibition idea to life and showed a wide range of contemporary illustration. We invited 26 illustrators from a wide range of fields (book, animation, branding, gaming, tattoo, editorial, etc.) to present their work and style. Under the title „The Sweetness of Doing Nothing“ each illustrator created their own version of the sweetness of doing nothing, which was ultimately presented at the exhibition as a print of a deckchair.
How do you deal with challenges when courageous design encounters resistance?
I try to understand the reasons for the resistance, where the concerns lie and then look for specific solutions. Is it perhaps the fear of overwhelming the target group, are there technical hurdles and can things be made more accessible and easier to understand? Or are the colours too bold? Sometimes it also helps to get the opinion of third parties who are not yet so deeply involved in the project in order to get a fresh perspective on things.
Can you give an example where courage was particularly rewarded in a project?
I had the vision of venturing into new territory and bringing my paper illustrations into augmented reality. I was able to inspire sponsors with this idea and won the ‘Imagination Project’ and another grant. This gave me the opportunity to explore augmented reality in more detail and to develop and realise my own AR works. I finally exhibited my project ‘Paper Pool’, which is a mix of real paper installation and augmented reality characters, at the NRW Forum Düsseldorf and it was featured by Adobe, PAGE magazine and Deutschlandfunk.
Click here for the Augmented Reality Filter AR Pool People (only for iOS mobile devices)
Courageous clients - Who dares?
What characterises a courageous clients?
They are characterised by their openness to new ideas, their innovative spirit and the joy of experimentation. Courageous design is challenging, thought-provoking and breaks with convention. It dares to be loud when others are whispering. It sets new trends instead of following existing ones. Courage is also evident in the decision to use unusual colour palettes, unconventional typography or innovative materials. It is often precisely these steps that make a brand unique and give it an unmistakable identity.
Are there any projects in which courage played a decisive role on the client side?
RTL's new branding is courageous and has caused a sensation in the design world - a logo that changes colour and adapts to its surroundings is not only an unusual and bold idea, it was also implemented very successfully. I was able to design the first illustrations for the new branding of Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland and thus characterise the new illustration style. My key visual illustration served to kick off the branding and presented the new logo in many colour variations.
What would you say to companies that want to be bolder in their visual communication?
Have the courage - it pays off to be bold and stand out! Courageous design is a powerful tool, especially at a time when we are flooded with visual stimuli. It ensures that a message is not drowned out, but remains in people's minds. It has a clear stance, it polarises and leaves room for emotions. And that is precisely what makes design lively: it should touch, provoke and inspire.
A plea for more courage
Why do we need courageous design today more than ever?
The world is constantly changing, and our viewing habits are changing with it. At a time when trends are changing faster than ever before and content is consumed in a matter of seconds, there is a danger of things becoming arbitrary and interchangeable. Courageous design makes a statement, is memorable and gives brands, campaigns and projects an unmistakable identity.
We are also facing major social challenges: Climate change, social inequality, political uncertainties. Design can be a powerful means of drawing attention to these issues, inspiring people and motivating them to take action. Bold design creates dialogue, breaks taboos and reveals new perspectives. Especially in times of uncertainty, we need visual concepts that convey hope, inspire reflection and encourage people to get involved.
How can each of us be a little more courageous in our everyday lives - whether as a creative or as a customer?
Courage starts with small things. As creatives, we can dare to develop our own signature style, speak our ideas out loud and sometimes swim against the tide. It means trying out new techniques, realising our own visions and not just delivering what is expected. Especially in a market that often strives for certainty, it is important to propose bold concepts and defend them with passion.
As a customer or client, courage means being open to new approaches. It means embracing creative ideas that may not fulfil the initial impulse, but have more impact in the long term. Courageous design decisions pay off - they make brands unique, create real connections with people and set lasting impulses.
Ultimately, courage is contagious. The more daring we are, the more we inspire others to do the same. And that is exactly what the world needs: more creativity, more authenticity and more people who are passionate about bringing their ideas into the world.
Discover more work on Annettes Portfolio!